


Future Tense

by UselessMateria



Category: Final Fantasy VIII
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Future Fic, Light-Hearted, Long-Term Relationship(s), Older Characters, Romance, inspired by a dream I had
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-10
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-17 14:55:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29968089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UselessMateria/pseuds/UselessMateria
Summary: What do two retired mercenaries do when they're empty nesters?
Relationships: Seifer Almasy/Quistis Trepe
Comments: 10
Kudos: 12





	Future Tense

He was staring out into the yard, and the sun was setting on his skin. In his skin. All around him like a halo. Those piercing eyes were fixed on something far away. Even now - especially now - decades on, his face hardened when in thought. What some might have considered a scowl sunk into the familiar lines of his mouth, his eyes, his brow. He was too focused to know she was staring at him. Old instincts worn down.

That was fine with her; when was the last time she really looked at him? At the man he was now. It felt as though the last 20 years had been a blur. But here they were, alone again. Just the two of them in this suddenly too-large house.

She had nearly forgotten how beautiful he is. The sunset caught his blond hair – still blond, but not as bright. Not slicked back like he used to when they were young, and he was a would-be revolutionary. 

She drank him in: his hip rested against the doorframe, his arms crossed over his chest. Not even turning 50 could take away the massive size of his ribcage. He had remained larger than life.

A mercenary-turned-protector. Her knight. He would scoff to hear that thought.

He glanced over, as if sensing the notion.

“It’s been a long time since it’s been this quiet.” Yes, if she were anyone else, she’d think him angry. But no, that was just the way he looked, the old scar increasingly set his brow at an almost permanent furrow. He was simply pensive, considering.

“She’ll be back soon enough. Our little girl can’t stay away from her dad for too long.” His gaze fell to the floor, the muscles in his arms flexing as he adjusted his lean. They were both softer around the edges these days, thicker too. But even in retirement from Garden there’d hardly been a day he hadn’t exercised. It was his ritual, his therapy. Your body is a temple, as they say, and taking him all in now she couldn’t help but recall their younger days. 

Oh, to be young soldiers in love. Their bodies were as perfect as their hearts were messy. But if his body was a temple, she’d worshiped there religiously. In this orange evening she felt the urge to pay homage rise in her for the first time in a while. Affection and longing crashed into her like waves as the last bits of gold fell from his profile.

“It’s just so strange.”

“Being alone again?” Even as she said it she felt like cringing. They weren’t alone if they had each other, were they?

“No. Being a parent. We never had any, and we were royally screwed up. How did she turn out so…”

_Perfect._

Quistis found an old but familiar knot in her gut. The kind she’d pointedly been ignoring for weeks. Months. Years?

All her young life she had felt unloved, broken and jagged. But then, after the war, there had been Seifer - an unexpected connection that nearly burned her with its intensity. His brokenness matched against hers in all the ways that mattered. And he had loved her imperfections.

Then their daughter had come. And somehow, they hadn’t screwed it up. Somehow, Anseline Almasy had grown into a beautiful, well-adjusted woman - with Seifer’s raw talent and Quistis’ virtuosity. And she had shone like the sun in her father’s eyes. The bond they shared was forged in stronger stuff than war and brokenness. Of course, Quistis and her daughter were close. Confidants even. But Seifer blazed for her, and his love and pride poured out of his eyes when he looked at their only offspring.

And now she was gone, off to make her own way in the world, to carve out her own destiny. And the hole she had left behind was uniquely shaped.

“I honestly don’t know whether to give ourselves the credit, or to say she managed despite us.” Seifer nodded absently at this thought, gaze on her, but distant again.

Suddenly, in this empty room, this buried insecurity in Quistis’ heart roared to life. Could she still be enough for this man who had a new, unbroken version of two of them to love, to miss? Could she possibly hold a candle to the joy their daughter brought into their lives? Now that it was just the two of them again, would Quistis be enough?

Her heart ached with the newness of missing her daughter, and now this old fear rose to keep her company. Quistis blinked back the sudden pricking of tears to her eyes, and discovered her husband staring at her. Composing herself, she straightened her spine a fraction more and smiled.

“In the meantime, we will learn to live life without her I suspect.”

Seifer’s pensive gaze traced her face, before continuing to take her in entirely. An uncontrollable shiver rippled up her back. 

Without saying anything, he uncrossed his arms and held them out to her; before she realized she’d crossed the room, she had folded herself into them.

His strength constantly surprised her. In all its forms. His head rested atop hers, and when she placed a timid kiss on his collar bone, she felt his lungs fill. At the same moment his sigh escaped him, she breathed her fears out.

“I confess, I was a little worried that you…”

“That I what, wouldn’t want you anymore?” Her heart shrunk at it being said so plainly.

“Well, most people find it difficult to adjust to life as empty nesters and many come to find their partner no longer-”

“Hyne, Quistis.” And before she could finish, he’d reached down and hoisted her up. A soft gasp from her and a small grunt from him were the only indications of disuse. She’d nearly forgotten he used to pick her up like this all the time.

But she wrapped her legs around his waist, cupping his slightly worn, but oh-so-familiar face in her hands as he walked them to the kitchen. His pensive expression had melted into the trace of a smirk.

“Since when are you and I most people?” She felt his hands massage her ever-stiff hip joints as he settled her on the countertop, standing between her thighs.

“My point still stands, most people or not-" he grunted and leaned in to kiss her, cutting her off again. It was deep and long and Quistis could feel what he meant – Seifer’s affection could be read in the things he gave his time and attention to. Always had. And by that measure, he had given her most of his life.

“I love you more today than I did when you were 19 and as spry as that whip of yours,” he mumbled against her lips, giving her no time for an answer before kissing her again. And at that, she really did feel as though she were melting – with relief, with gratitude, with affection.

And before she knew what she was saying, she’d huskily whispered back, “I love you more today than I did when you were 19 and didn’t have love handles.”

Seifer sprang back from her as if he'd been burned, glaring, his green eyes barely holding their hue in the dying light. “I do not have love handles, woman. This body is in peak condition.” She didn't disagree an ounce but wasn't about to give him that satisfaction. Not yet, anyway. So she leaned back on her hands and tried her best to keep her grin under control as he gestured at his own torso, flexing. She couldn’t help herself. She bit her lip, and then she said:

“I love you more today than I did when you could run a 5-minute mile.” His scowl darkened and he leaned in, strong hands on either side of her legs, close enough that she ached for the contact.

“Yeah? Well I love you more today than the day the last Trepie called it quits. Which has got to be what, 25 years ago?” It was her turn to laugh now, and she leaned forward to plant a kiss on that scrunched up knot right between his eyebrows. Feeling younger than she had in years, she lifted a finger and ran it down the front of his chest, over his abs, lower, to snag his belt.

“I love you more today than when you pulled a muscle in your groin while we were having sex.”

He barked out a laugh at that one, snagging her wandering hand in his, and ardently kissing the back of it.

“That was on our 15-year anniversary and may I remind you, it was your fault.”

“As I recall you never did finish what you started that night. I was promised,“ and she brought her free hand in front of her to form air quotes, “a wild night of pleasure fit for the temptress I am.”

He stepped back in between her legs, dropping her hand in favor of gripping her thighs and pulling her roughly towards him, his thumbs rubbing back and forth; the kitchen around them had faded into shades of grey, the last rays of sunset in the past. But in the dark she could still make out his smile.

“Care to make up for lost time, temptress?” He leaned in close, not a breath away. His chest brushed against hers and she felt him shiver. Instead of answering, she nuzzled her nose against his, and he was kissing her an instant later.

“You know, there’s one huge perk to Anse being gone.” His tone was low and playful, promising all sorts of delicious things to come. Joy filled her as she wrapped her arms around him, and he pulled her fully against his chest.

“Yes, I know darling, I can feel it.” Seifer laughed again, lifting her back off the counter and heading towards the stairs.

“That too, love. But not what I meant.”

“Then what’s the perk?” She brushed her knuckles against his jaw, and he turned to catch on between his teeth.

“No one needs to junction any silence spells anymore.”

**Author's Note:**

> This fever of a fanfic was written in like two hours in between work assignments because I can't control the creative muses or myself. It came pouring out of me like pennies from a broken Janet. Last night I dreamt that Seifer and Quistis has two kids - boys actually. And Seifer was stuck on the other side of the world trying to get back to his little family. So this sorta came out of that. Inadvertently.
> 
> Also, I keep making changes to it and I need someone to smack my hand and point at me and get me to stop it.


End file.
